Italy on BRINK: Five Star and Lega UNABLE to form government following Berlusconi’s veto

ITALY’s political chaos is set to continue as Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi closed the door on the possibility to stand aside and let his ally anti-EU Lega form a eurosceptic government with anti-establishment Five Star Movement.

The four-time prime minister is the main obstacle to the formation of a new Italian government two months after the March 4 election ended in a hung parliament.

His refusal to break the electoral alliance with Matteo Salvini’s Lega to let him create a joint Cabinet with Luigi Di Maio’s Five Star Movement may condemn Italy to return to the ballot, following the ultimatum given by President Sergio Mattarella on Monday after the third, inconclusive, round of coalition talks.

Today Mr Salvini told Italian radio Capital he “will try until the last minute” to convince the former PM to let him create a government.

He added: “I don’t aspire at returning to the ballot in July, despite the polls show my party is growing.

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Matteo Salvini

“I am not pressing directly Berlusconi or anyone else.

“It’s not up to me to force my will on people, I am no one to give lessons to others.

“My position is the same of two months ago: I am working to create a government that will express what Italian chose.”

Mr Salvini and Mr Berlusconi are, together with Brothers of Italy’s leader Giorgia Meloni, united in the centre-right wing alliance, which gained 37 per cent of the votes in March.

Breaking the coalition between these parties is a deal breaker for Mr Di Maio, whose party became the centrepiece of Italian politics after gaining 33 per cent in March.

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Italy news: Silvio Berlusconi is the main obstacle to the formation of a new Italian government

The Five Star leader said more than once that Mr Salvini and him share many key points in their programmes, but ruled out in the early stage of the talks the possibly to form a government with Lega if it would also include a cooperation with Mr Berlusconi’s party.

Lega has been pressing the former Prime Minister since Monday to break the deadlock, asking him to “show a great sense of responsibility” and stand aside.

Giancarlo Giorgetti, Lega’s chief in the Lower Chamber, advanced the hypothesis Mr Berlusconi could provide external support to Lega and Five Star parties, de facto taking part to the government despite not being allocated seats in the Cabinet.

He said: “Silvio Berlusconi needs to find a solution that will allow the formation of a new government.”

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Italy news: Lega is trying to convince Mr Berlusconi to stand aside

But despite a source within Forza Italia told Reuters yesterday that “Berlusconi was thinking about” standing aside, the party leader confirmed in the evening that he won’t “accept vetoes” against his party’s participation in the government.